Automatic flushing apparatus



B. J. HEALY.

(No Model.)

. AUTOMATIC FLUSHING APPARATUS.

Patente May 5, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcn BYRON J. HEALY, OF KALAMAZOO, MICEIGAN.

AUTQMATlG FLUSHING APPARATUB.

SPECIE'ECATTQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 816,966, dated May 5,1885.

- Application filed December 27, 1551. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BYRON J. HEALY, a cit-izen of the United States,residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Automatic Flushing Apparatus, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention has for its object certain improvements designed tosimplify and cheapen the construction and greatly facilitate the operation of flushing.

In the drawings forming apart of this specification, in which likeletters point out like parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation with theflush-tank and eduction-port in vertical section, Fig. 2, an enlargedbroken detail of Fig. 1, illustrating the operation 5 Fig. 3, a brokendetail of said figures in enlarged perspective; Fig. 4, a top view ofthe flushing apparatus; Fig. 5, enlarged detail of Fig. 1; Fig. 6, anenlarged detail of Fig. l with valve in section; Fig. 7, same as Fig. 5,looking from a point at the left hand of the latter figure, illustratingoperation of said part, and Fig. Sis a detail of Fig. 1, looking from apoint at the left hand of the part in said figure.

Referring to the drawings, A in Fig. 1 shows a flush-tank made in theground with detachable cover at the top, in common use in connectionwith sewers. B shows a broken sewer, and F an eduction-port leading fromthe tank A to the sewer R.

The foundation-plate a of the apparatus forms the seat of the valve h,said valve being hinged at 3 The hingingeye is vertically elongated,Fig. 6, to allow the pivot of the hinge therein to play slightly, sothat the valve will seat squarely.

The frame consists of bar D, preferably forked at the lower end andelbowed at the top, forming a horizontal arm, E. The bar 1? is bolted tothe arm E and extends a little above said arm. The elbow operating-levera is pivotally connected at the turn of the elbow with the upwardextension of bar P. \Vith the upper end of the elbow of lever a ispivotally connected the rod which rod is jointedly connected with thevalve 71. The arrangement of these parts is such that, when the valve his closed, Fig. 1, the pivot which connects the connecting-rod r withthe operatinglever a will be a little at the left of a vertical lineintercepting the pivot of said operatinglever, thus forming a lock tohold the valve it closed.

S is a set-screw, which may be employed, if need be, to properly adjustthe operating lever in relation to said locking capacity. The outer freeend of the lever a is forked, Fig. 4. Centrally between the arms of saidforked end a float, B, is flexibly connected with said arms by chains 0c or equivalents in a manner that the float may rise and fall betweenthe arms with the rise and fall of the water. By this plan ofconstruction, the float performs its required work with no danger ofconflicting with the operating-lever, or of floating about on the water.

In Fig. l the rising water has just reached the float B. The floatcontinues to rise with the rising water until in the position shown inFig. l by dotted lines, or substantially in said position, thehorizontal dotted line in said figure showing high-water limit, at whichtime the lifting-float trips the lever a by raising it, when said leverflies up to the position shown in Fig. 2, the connecting-rod r iscarried downward, and the valve 71 swings downward, as shown by dottedlines in Fig. 6, allowing the water to escape through the eduction portinto the sewer. As soon as the water all escapes the operating-lever andfloat, being heavier at the left of its pivot than the weight of theportion at the right and its con nections, fall to place again, closingthe valve h, as in Fig. 1.

An indicator or register is shown at x, having an arm, n, with which theoperating-lever a comes in contact in its upward movement, thusregistering on the dials the number of times the tank fills and emptiesin a given time.

The details of the indicator are not shown, because any suitableindicating device may be used in the relation stated.

I prefer to construct the connecting-rod as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. Therod is severed, the severed ends headed and lapped past each other, anda spiral spring located around the rods where they lap and between theheads t of the ends. An upward strain on the rod from the top compressesthe spring if, so that the spirals touch each other, Fig. 5. When thestrain from said end is removed, the spirals separate, as in Fig. 7.

In the operation, the compressing of the spring admits of a sure lock ofthe operatinglever by allowing it to fall sufliciently far when closingthe valve. At the time the op crating-lever to looks the spirals toucheach other, making the rod solid against any endwise expansion by adownward pressure of the water on the valve. The expansive tendency ofthe spring assists the float in tripping the operating-lever a andcausing a quick movement of the same, so as to let the valve swing opensuddenly, letting the full stream of water pass out at the start. Thespring remains expanded, Fig. 7, until the operatinglever falls to placeagain in closing the valve.

The upper end of the connecting-rod 1' may be provided with a recessedcoupling, 0, and threaded end and jam-nut o, to adjust the length of therod.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combinationof a hinged valve at the eduction port, adapted to swing open by thepressure of the water when released, a supportingframe having thehorizontal arm and upward extension, an elbowed operatinglever pivotedto said extension and provided with a float, and a connecting-rodpivoted to the upper end of the elbow-lever and jointedly connected withthe valve, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a valve hinged to swing open, of anoperating-lever having the forked end and flexibly-connected float, anda rod connecting the operating-lever and valve, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination of the swinging valve, supporting frame, pivotedoperating lever, and connecting-rod consisting of the severed headedlapped rods provided with the spring, all substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the swinging valve, forked elbow operating-lever,float, adjusting set-screw or equivalent, and supporting-frame, and theconnectingrod having the upper threaded end, recessed coupling, andjam-nut, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a supporting-frame, an elbow operating leverpivoted to said frame at the turn of the elbow, a float connecting withsaid lever, a swinging valve, and a connecting-rod connecting the upperend of the elbow with the valve, andprovided with a flexible portion tofacilitate the locking of the operating-lever, and to accelerate itsmovement when tripped, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a registering device having an extendedoperating-arm, of a flushing apparatus having an operating-lever adaptedto swing in contact with said operating-arm when the flush-valve opens,for the purpose stated, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name inpresence of two witnesses.

BYRON J HEALY.

Witnesses:

SAM FoLz, J 0s. A. FRANKLIN.

